The Help Chapter 16 Summary

How It All Goes Down

A few days later, Aibileen goes to the Community Concerns Meeting at her church. Since Medgar Evers's death, there's a lot of anger at the meetings.

Aibileen looks around for maids who might be interested in helping her and Skeeter. Thirty-five maids have already refused. Aibileen feels like she's "selling something nobody want to buy, something big and stinky […]" (16.3).

Still, Aibileen is "proud a what [she] selling" (16.3). She thinks, "We telling stories that need to be told" (16.3). She's become quite the evangelist.

Minny is a really persuasive woman, though. Aibileen is sure Minny could convince the others. As things stand now, though, all the women think telling their stories is too dangerous, and that it won't change anything.

At the end of the meeting, Yule May, who works for Hilly, approaches Aibileen and starts asking about the project. Aibileen confirms that all the names are being changed, as well as the name of the town. Yule May is genuinely interested, and makes plans to call Aibileen privately soon.